Vitalitycare and Support Services

Updated 27 August 2020

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced.

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with three staff members including the registered manager and two care workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. We viewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures.

After the inspection

We spoke to three people using the service and four relatives/carers. We also spoke with two further members of staff, a care coordinator and a care worker. We continue to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at the equality and diversity policy.

Updated 27 August 2020

About the service

Vitality care and support services is a domiciliary support service providing personal care to people in their own homes. They were providing personal care to 14 people at the time of the inspection. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Effective risk assessments were completed. People told us that they felt safe and were aware of how to raise concerns. Staff knew how to identify safeguarding concerns and how to report them. Staffing was sufficient to meet people’s needs. Recruitment processes were not always robust in checking employment histories. Medicines were managed safely .

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff had received suitable training and induction to offer effective care. People were supported to have choice and control with as little restriction as possible. If people needed help to eat and drink, care records detailed the support required. Staff and managers liaised with other health professionals to maximise the quality of care provided. Consent was sought before care was given.

Staff told us they were very happy to be part of the service. They were supported by a registered manager and reported a good morale and sense of team. People gave us positive comments about the care team. People were supported to express their views and make decisions about their care.

People’s wishes about end of life care had not always been sought. The accessible information standard (AIS) had not been used to facilitate people’s understanding of their own care files effectively. People received person centred care, and where encouraged to have as much independence as possible in day to day living.

The registered manager’s audits of daily logs did not always highlight errors in daily care records. Staff said the registered manager was supportive and felt concerns raised would be acted upon.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe responsive and well led sections of this full report.

Follow up

We will meet with the provider following this report being published to discuss how they will make changes to ensure they improve their rating to at least good. We will request an action plan that details how the provider intends to improve the service. We will work with the local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.